Unchanging

FAITH:

"Forever, O Lord, Your Word is settled in heaven." Psalm 119:89 (NASB)

We live in a society that prizes change. Whether it's the most recent dictum of haute couture from the world of fashion, or the latest in technical gadgets, we are enamored with the idea that newer and different is better.

Let the word "change" fall from a politician's lips, and his or her future is suddenly golden. Discontented with the ordinariness of our lives, we are often an easy sell. So much so, in fact, that one of the quickest ways to kill an idea or project is to describe it as "so yesterday."

Obviously, some changes are positive and some are negative. But too much change, or change for the wrong reasons, can leave us scrambling for the higher ground of stability. When we are forced by circumstances to ride those roiling seas of change, to what do we cling to maintain our emotional and spiritual equilibrium? In Psalm 61:2, David said, "When my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the rock that is higher than I" (NKJV).

Isn't that what we all want - a sense of permanence in a world of change and restlessness? Solid ground when we can't touch bottom? Stillness in place of agitation?

God's Word tells us that all these are possible because of one man, and His name is Jesus. "For he himself is our peace," (Ephesians 2:14, NIV), the One who never changes. The "same yesterday and today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8, NIV). The unshakeable foundation beneath our feet when everything in our world totters (Psalm 40:2).

How comforting to know that our lives are encompassed by an eternally present Christ. He is our Alpha and Omega, our Beginning and our End. Who He is and what He says stands...

Uncontradicted.

Unoverturned.

Forever.

Long after you and I are considered history and "so yesterday," Jesus will still be. Describing the uniqueness of our God, Eugene Peterson in The Message asks, "Are we not at bedrock?" (Psalm 18:31).

Can you recall another time in your life when God worked good for you out of what appeared to be a negative change in your life? Is it possible to look at an unexpected or negative change in a positive way?
In what way does God's Word provide an anchor for us?

Applying it: List the major changes that have occurred in your life within the past year. How have these changes impacted your life? As you identify your reactions to the changes - disappointment, anxiety, fear, loneliness, grief - spend some time in the Word to see how Jesus, the great "I AM," provides stability for you in the midst of your rocking world.
Exploring it: Isaiah 40:8, "The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever." (NIV); John 8:58, "'I tell you the truth,' Jesus answered, 'before Abraham was born, I am!' "(NIV); Psalm 27:5, "For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock." (NIV)

FRIENDS:

Dear Lord, as everything around me changes, may I rest my heart on the firm foundation of Your Word, which never goes out of style or needs revision. May I rejoice in its timeless truth and rest in its awesome strength to transform my sometimes erratic life into a place of peace. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

DAILY BIBLE CHALLENGE
14. LUKE 23:1-12; HEBREWS 8:7-13: PROVERBS 25:1-14; ISAIAH 37-39
15. LUKE 23:13-25; HEBREWS 9:1-10; PROVERBS 25:15-28; ISAIAH 40-41

FOOD:

Baked Taco Sandwich

1 pound ground beef
1 envelope (1.25 ounces) Old El Paso taco seasoning mix
1 cup Original Bisquick mix
1/3 cup cold water
3/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (3 ounces)
Sour cream, if desired
Shredded lettuce, if desired
Chopped tomato, if desired

1. Heat oven to 450F. Grease square pan, 8x8x2 inches. Cook beef and taco seasoning mix as directed on envelope of seasoning mix.
2. Mix Bisquick mix and cold water until soft dough forms; spread in pan. Spread beef mixture over dough.
3. Bake uncovered 25 to 30 minutes or until edges are golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Immediately sprinkle with cheese. Let stand 1 to 2 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve with remaining ingredients.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Not recommended.
YIELD: 4 Servings
Substitution: More zip? Use shredded taco-seasoned cheese or Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeno peppers to boost that great Southwest flavor

FUN:

George went on a vacation to the Middle East with his family including his mother-in-law. During their vacation in Jerusalem George's Mother-in-law died. With the death certificate in his hand, George went to the American Consulate Office to make arrangements to send the body back to the United States for a proper burial.

The Consul told George that to send the body back to the United States for burial is very, very expensive. It could cost him as much as $5,000.00. The Consul told him, in most cases the person responsible for the remains normally decides to bury the body here in Jerusalem. This would only cost him $150.00.

George thinks for sometime and answers, "I don't care how much it will cost to send the body back; that's what I want to do."

The Consul says "You must have loved your mother-in-law very much considering the difference in price."

"No, it's not that," says George. "You see, I know of a case many, many years ago of a man that was buried here in Jerusalem. On the third day he arose from the dead! I just can't take that chance!